The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-05
a RUNAWAY TRAIN.

"A aON - ~ AAhNs
There is story in the June Wide
Apdke of boy, the fifteen year old
son Of locomotive engineer, who
had often ridden with his father aud
knew the engine pooty well" In
deed, the engineer had frequently let
the boy drive" on long stretch Of
straight track.
One night he left Dave" in
charge of the engine on siding while
he went to supper, as usual. There
came up q furious wind; and, after
little, some cars shot by without any
engine. The wind had started them.
Boy, think quick Down grade |
The lightning express is to come
that way ~ W. SiisSS' 49, s----e..s.
Nobody near. No telegraph wire.
The trains are headed together.
there il less than an hour to catch
those runaway cars and pull them out
of the way. No time for hesitation |
He springs to the lever, picks up
speed and tears away with grade and
wind and steam like a whiESing ar
row.
They are miles ahead. The rush
ing minutes are full of sudden com
prehension. He almost sees through
the dark, tempestuous night What
set him flying toward this plunge
was thought Of the lightning express.
Now danger takes hold of him. What
if he is Just too late The runaway
train is in sight of steam No,
on again Let the story teller tell
the rest.
He must slow up, Lut do it so
nicely that, when he does come up
with them, there shall be the least
possible shock; for here is the hard
est part of the business. He has
nobody to help him couple" He
must be, for the nonce, both eugin-
eer and switohman. He had not
thought what formidable job this
was until it stared him in the face.
On he flew, revolving the situation
in his head and adjusting his engine
with the incest care until he was
upon the very heels Of the runaway;
then, with many misgivings, slipped
out of the engine house and crawled
along the side OF the locomotive, and
down on the Cow catcher"
Here, Selling the long coupler in
one hand and holding on with the
other, he stood watching with breath
less interest the approaching collis-
ion. The suspense was agonizing.
The situation was perilous. A gust
of wind might sweep him from his
place; he might be shaken of or
crushed.
He was almost panic stricken. A
dozen times he was at the point Of
turning back. To his startled ears
the air was full Of uno0uny sounds
the sweep of another tornado, the
rush of the lightning" just ahead.
But he had 10 him the stuff which
heroes are made of. The hero, re-
member, is not he who is insensible
to danger, but rather he who feels
and realizes, but yet overcomes it.
The Meteor" drew nearer and
nearer the flying train. Dave had
used excellent Judgment in regulat-
ing its speed, for at length it came
up with the rear car with scarcely q
shock, SO that Dave could reach over
and drop in the pin.
Then clambering back into the en-
CINE house with trembling eagerness
he seized the throttle" To his
amazement the train did not stop.
Instead OF the "Meteor's" stopping
the runaway the runaway dragged
the Meteor" along in its headlong
fight. Dave was horror struck. He
had thought the train would stop at
once. He had not calculated what a
tremendous impetus all those heavy
cars had acquired.
Now, then, tussleI The train be-
gan to slow up. 1t came to a stand
still. Then the backward pull,
Slowly they got under way; but the
wind and up grade were against
them.
Dave began to get anxious. 1.-THE
lightning" must be due by this
time. He kept sharp lookout be-
hind and whistled like mad around
the curves. At length he entered
upon the long, straight level line Of
road which extended clear to Blank
ton. Dave breathed freer. 1t was
the home stretch-a good ten mile
run.
Hardly had he congratulated him
self, when far behind-but unmis-
takably-he heard the scream Of the
''lightnings" whistle. He was go
ing already at his topmost speed.
He was making not more than thirty
five miles an hour, while the light
ming" was coming on at the rate of
sixty. With horror he herd it
gaining on him: the next whistle
was nearer, and at length when he
had made only two-thirds the dis
lance the CLEAN of its headlight came
shooting round wooded curve in
his rear.
Out of the very despair of the mo-
ment Dave gathered calmness. He
turned his back on the pursuing
train, he cast no look behind, he shut
his ears to It's on coming roar, looked
straight ahead, kept his eye on the
track, his mind on his duty. ..l
He is almost there--he is there, he
dashes past the station house, across
the switch and down at last upon the
side track.
1t is all right. Jake and Jim are
there. They have thrown the switch
back in time; and the lightning"
goes whiEKing and shrieking past.
When Jake Jumped aboard the
Meteor" his son tainted dead away
in his arms.
Disease and Death